Fence-stretching apparatus.



PATENTBD MAY 19, 1908.

J. W. MAON. FBNUE STRETGHING' APPARATUS.

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/ VAN/OR.

J/ J; J/Zzw APPLICATION FI LED JUNE 26, 1901 WITNESSES A T'fOR/VE Y5 mg device, the clamp being so constructed JULIUsW. MASON, or WALNUT LAKE, ARKANSAS.

FENOE-STRETCHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed-Inna 26, 1907. Serial No. 380,968.

T 0 whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jones W. MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Walnut Lake, in the county of Desha and State of Arkansas,- have invented a new and useful Fence-Stretching Apparatus, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices employed in'stretchin or tensioning wire fencing and the like, and it'has for its object to provide an improved clamp which is capable of firml and uniformly engaging the strands of the encing so that no slippage is liable to occur as the tension is applied to the clamp by the Windlass or other tensionthat it is capableof being applied to andre-v moved from the fencing with the' greatest facility, and the ressuremay be applied to the clamp instantly.

Another object of the'invention is to provide im roved tightening devices for the clamp t at are inexpensive in construction and which in ractice are capable of being easily operated to produce a considerable pressure between the members of the clamp, the tightening being so accomplished that wear may be readily compensated for and any desired pressure between the members of the clamps may be produced.

To these and other ends, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out particularly in the ap en'dedclaims.

n1 the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fence stretching clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention, the clam being shown applied to a section'of a wire encing. Fig. 2 is-a perspective view showing. the members of the clamp disengaged. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the clamp, said section being taken through the pivot of one of the cams thereof.

Correspondin parts in the several figures are indicated t roughout by similar characters of reference:

The clamp shown in the present embodiment of the-invention is composed of a pair of cooperating clamping members 1 and 2 which may be made of any suitable material, such as hard wood, or any other substance l that is capable of affording the requisitel rigidity, the members being made in different 7 len ths, if so desired, in order to adapt them to ences of different widths or heights. In order to insure a firm clamping action, the cooperating faces of the members are preferably pro'vided Withsets' of corrugations 3 and 4, and 5 and 6, respectively, the corruwhen the members are in cooperative rela tion the strands of the fencing restin between them will assume a sinuous 'orm, thereby increasing the gripping action to a considerable de ree.

It is preferable to provide the cooperating faces of the clamping members with metallic facings 7 and 8 whichmay be composed of sheet metal having the corru ations pressed therein by means of dies or ro lers, the metal facings insuring a firm grip upon the wire and preventing the latter'from cutting orotherwise inj uring the clamping members, although these facings may be omitted if so desired.

The tightening devices employed in the present instance are so constructed that the clamping members may be instantly locked and unlocked relatively to one another in order to facilitate the application and removal of the clamp relatively to the fencing, and they are also capable of adjustment to compensate for wear as well as to permit any desired degree of pressure to be obtained. These devices are each composed of an attaching member 9 having a 'ournal 10 formed thereon and extending su stantially parallel to the plane of the clamping member 2, a bolt portion 11 being provided having a threaded end 12 which extends through an aperture 13 in the member 2, a nut 14 cooperatiug with the threaded end of the bolt portion and resting in an angular recess 15 let into the face of the member, and a locking nut 16 threaded upon the end of the bolt portion cooperating with the under side of the member 3 to lock the attaching member in operative position. The nut 14 is held from rotation relatively to the member by means of the angular recess into which it is fitted, and after the locking nut 16 has been loosened, the attaching member may be r0- tated for the purpose of varying the distance seams of the journai it) thereon from the clamping member, tightening of the nut 16 serving to relock the member in operative position.

with a set of transversely extending slots 17 which extend inwardly from one of its longitudinal edges and correspond in number to the number of tightening devices employed, the bolt portions of the fastening devices entering these slots as the members are laced in cooperative relation. The pressure is applied to the clamping members by means of a set of locking ievers 18 which cooperate with the journals 10, the levers being provided with eccentrics 19 which en age the outer side of the member 1. and there y cause a proximating movement of the members that will produce a gripping action upon the strands of the fencing. A Wear plate 20 is preferably provided on the upper side of the clamping member 1 to receive the pressure from the eccentrics on the locking members.

What is claimed is 1. In a clamp of the character described the combination with a clamping member having a longitudinally corrugated Working face, a correspondingly corrugated metallic facing fitting snugly thereon, a nut seated within said facing and an L-shaped attaching member screwed into the nut and through the clamping member; of a longitudinaily corrugated clamping member, a similarly corrugated metallic facing secured upon said meinoer and fitting snugly on the corrugated. portion thereof, said member having transverse slots for the reception of the attaching members, a wear plate upon the .puter face of the slotted member and disposed to be lapped by the attaching member, and a cam journaled upon the lap ping portion of the attaching membe and disposed to bear upon the Wear plate.

2. The combination with a clamping member having a metallic facing thereon, said facing and member being longitudinally corrugated; of a similar clamping member having transverse slots extending thereinto, an L-shaped attaching member adjustably connectedto the first mentioned clamping member, and a cam detachably mounted upon the attaching member and disposed ,to bear upon the slotted member to force the clamping members together.

3. The combination with clamping members having longitudinally corrugated working faces, one of said members having transverse slots extending thereinto'; of L-sha ed attachingmembers adjustably connec'te to one of the clamping members and insertible through the slots of the other member, said attaching members lapping the slotted memher, a Wear plate secured upon the slotted member, and cams detachably and i-votally mounted upon the attaching mern ers and disposed to bear upon the Wear plate. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JULIUS MASON. Witnesses:

B; C. PIoKENs, J. D. Ross. 

